Crossing Fates
by AB Firestar
Summary: A Jack and Ana story. What if these two pirates met long before the curses and the Krakens? Meet Ana, a little girl with a wounded heart and watch a troublemaker named Jack heal it. Just read! I suck at summaries!
1. Chapter 1

**CROSSING FATES

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Flowing through the streets, washing upon every avenue, house, store, like a flood that would drown all in its path…was joy.

The rapture was excessive, if one noted it in statistics, the emotion ranked higher in stock than rum did in any port. The bustles of people parading down the lanes, chattering happily without a care in the world, surrounded by even more happier crowds, they were all engulfed in such cheerful exuberance.

Balloons danced tenderly in the air toward blue skies that mirrored the ocean's own perfect shade as confetti of every color sprinkled against the roads like shimmering pieces of glass under a calm sun. Workers, officials, lords, every rank of society basked in the happiness that thrived in the port on that very special day.

And what was the occasion that breathed such pleasure?

"The circus?"

"That's right, little one. The circus. They've finally come to visit us!"

The answer would have sufficed the little girl, whose feet faced a hard challenge of keeping up with those of their companion. A small hand remained grasped in the strong grip of the woman who had answered quite hastily as they moved along side the crowd. The answer would have sufficed. But it lacked, for the little girl did not know what the circus was.

Confusion wrote itself upon her soft features, her head bobbing up to meet with the woman's eyes but alas, said woman had her own pair settled on the journey ahead. "But Miss Jonas….what is the circus?"

"Hush now, Anamaria! Asking such childish questions! Ye just keep up with me and you'll see for yourself. Oh, there's the governor!"

Instantly ignored by her supposed guardian, who now busied herself with waving frantically at a man several feet ahead of her, little Anamaria pouted in silly fury and huffed. Of course it was a childish question, she was but a child of course! Her masters always reminded her of that, or rather reminded themselves. Eyes of glistening brown looked to her little forearm that wore a small bruise, courtesy of the Baron Marlette.

She had promised to clean up after Angela, that silly girl, and sure enough, when she was done with her piano lessons, Anamaria carried on after and put the books away. She should have known that Angela would not leave without her daily dose of hurting the younger girl. As the little maid went to fix up the ornaments that stood near by the piano, the daughter of Baron Marlette, pushed off Ana and sent the crystal designs shattering to the ground. The blonde sprite ran off giggling but came back in hopes of watching that worthless girl be scolded and hit.

Little Anamaria never caused harm to anyone in that household! Angela's older brother had told the little girl that the reason his sister hated Anamaria so much was because of how prettier she was. He had to be lying, for then he said it was a shame that she was black. Anamaria simply did not understand. Yes, she was of a darker tone but it was just a silly color. Maybe if she was green Angela and the entire family would like her.

"Keep up, Anamaria please!" The angel of six summers looked up at Miss Jonas and muttered with a tint of sorrow in her, "Yes, Miss Jonas…"

Miss Jonas was the only white lady in the house of Marlette that cared for Anamaria. She, thought little Anamaria, was the only one who did not care about her color. She treated her much better than others did, even if she was a little mean sometimes. But Anamaria loved Miss Jonas. She was the only mother figure she had.

Thoughts were soon silenced as the colors of the world struck her fascinating. So many happy faces, so many different shades of colors on people and yet they were all with each other. Was the circus….good? Yes. Yes, it had to be, thought Anamaria. _For people today don't care about color because of the circus! I like the circus already!_

A smile reached her darling face, giggles twinkling out of her as she watched the world dance in joy. "I like the circus, Miss Jonas!"

"We're not even there yet, child!" Laughed the woman, looking down at the little fairy at her side. "Now you hold onto me hand tightly, ye hear? We must be quick if we want to have the good seats!"

Anamaria bobbed her little head of dancing raven silk, waves of dark hair twirling as the wind blew by, tickling her cheeks with sweet caress.

And indeed the time came when a stronger hold between her hand and Miss Jonas's was needed. People began to fill up the spaces between personal boundaries as the entrance to the circus was just ahead. The lane kept narrowing to the point where columns of five were only allowed and people pushed against each other trying to fit in. Small even for her age, Anamaria disappeared in the sea of breeches and skirts, amazed eyes skimming through the swarm of interesting footwear. The volume of noise rose to several notches as everyone and anyone surrounded Anamaria and Miss Jonas. It was becoming hard to hear Jonas's commands and the less she heard, the less Anamaria paid attention to what she was doing and what had to be done.

A pair of sparkling shoes captivated her innocent attention and Anamaria, allured by all senses, subconsciously loosened her grip on Jonas's hand, wanting to slow down their pace in order to touch the shoes that glittered. _They're so pretty…I wonder if I could touch them….?_

Big brown eyes glanced upwards to the redhead and back to the shoes. She would not get lost in the sea of feet! It would only be a moment! And then she'd come right back to Miss Jonas's side. Yes, that was a marvelous plan!

Ready to commence said plan of action, Anamaria freely released herself from Jonas's gravity and set her against the parade of people going against her. Just a few people down and she'd be able to touch those pearly shoes!

But the journey was a lot harder than she thought and little Anamaria fought against the oncoming walls of people, snaking between person and person to finally reach the pair of shoes. And even then, she could not touch them!

It seemed that every time Anamaria made a move to reach out and touch, the feet would move ahead and she'd be bumped into by someone. Her existence though, was considered as a cat and not a child. Soon it drove Anamaria to near exasperation and when her little hand was dreadfully stomped out, with a yelp she moved away and forgot her objective.

Cradling her hand like a wounded bird of song, she stood up and looked forwards. But saw no Miss Jonas.

"Miss Jonas! Miss Jonas where are you!" Cried out her little voice but it never reached the surface of heads and ears for the noise was much louder than her.

"Miss Jonas! Miss Jonas!" She began to move forwards but every step taken was a bump against someone and soon she become dizzy with the turns and turns that she made, apologizing to those she bumped into but they would not hear. No one saw the child.

Fear struck in her for she had never been lost before and with tears that suddenly whelmed up in frightened eyes, Anamaria hurried out of the swarm of people, rushing past people who cried out in shock of such collisions.

"What in the world was that?" Came a question but it would remain unanswered for Anamaria dashed to an alley where no one but the shadows cast by sunlight accompanied her.

Panting from the fright, Anamaria nestled against the stone wall and closed her eyes tightly. "I'm okay, I'm okay, everything's going to be fine…" She chanted like a mantra, her tiny voice quivering as it spoke.

"Everything's going to be fine…."

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney said I would scare away the young audience if I wickedly murdered Elizabeth Swann.**

**A/N: **_It started out as a one-shot but out of habit, I've made it too long for a one-shot and now I've gotta make it into chapters. Which is no problem for me but Damnit I just can't write one-shots and I really want toooo! _

_Anyways. Ana's a slave. She's six. She's being taken to the circus. I know, maybe all of my historical facts are way fuckin' off (pardon my French) but this is an A/U story. So enjoy the story, don't hurt yourself with wondering if there were even circuses back then, if Port Royal was even established back then and all that stuff. I don't. I just write. You should too!_

---- AB FIRESTAR


	2. Chapter 2

**CROSSING FATES

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**

It had been quite the while since the child had departed from the alley, she now walked aimlessly along the empty streets that she hoped would lead to the comfort of the Marlette Mansion. Despite the coldness that froze her very, tiny soul inside that house, Anamaria did not know more of the world and all that was drawn into the map of her life, was that house with its 3 stories and endless hallways.

Little fingers brushed against the walls of each passing store, not at all familiar with where she was with each turn of the corners. She cast dazed eyes onto the cobblestone street, sniffling quietly in her misery.

Anamaria had come to the conclusion that the circus was not indeed a good thing. But then again…maybe it was. It was simply her own fault that things turned out bad. She should not have let go of Miss Jonas's hand and now, she was lost and had nowhere to go. And under no circumstances would she dare enter the circus. The claustrophobic incident that had occurred in that sea of feet had frightened her and so banished the idea of going into the circus, whatever it was, and look for Miss Jonas.

"There would be so many people….I…I wouldn't know where to look." She stammered quietly, a little hand wiping away fresh tears from her saddened eyes.

"Why are you crying little one?"

Anamaria gasped and snapped her head towards the direction from which a hissed voice came from. Wide, frightened orbs looked into the deep shadows of an alley, where the end of life took place it seemed, for it appeared to be a void in its disposition.

A void where two sharply green eyes stared at her.

The little girl stood trembling in her shoes, not because she knew that strangers were people that she could not speak to (no one had ever given that advice to her), but because of the creepy presence the man gave her. She wasn't even sure if it was a man!

"N-No…" Came her quiet reply, unable to move from her rooted position in fear that he'd lash out and take her into the darkness if she…just…made…one…**move**.

"Really….? Then you're a little liar…." Softly chuckling as he morphed out of the shadows, the voice had now an owner; a sickly thin man, whose hair mopped aside his face, sticking to the dirt that no doubt had been there for days, eyes disturbingly jade and clothes that hung from his bony, pallid flesh in a raggedy manner.

And though her instincts were screaming for her to jolt out of his presence, Anamaria could not **move**.

"Look at you….all nicely dressed….from whose closet did you steal that from, hmm?" He smirked, a proper English accent that held control over the language implying that he had once been someone….

He took small steps towards the frightened sprite, her face bare of color as she stared fearfully into his eyes.

"I wonder….just how much you're worth….With hair like that….God knows I need the money…What's your name, little one?"

No response but tears that ran free from their wells.

"Hmm? What's…your…name?"

_Move. Move. Move. Move. Move. Move._

He stood before her, just out of arm's reach and crouched down.

"What's….your…fucking name?"

**MOVE!**

Her conscious grabbed control of her body and she jolted out of his reach, feeling his hand just brush against the side of her.

"Get back here!" He roared after her, little Anamaria wishing on all of the stars in the night skies to give her little feet wings to fly out of harm's way.

No words, no scream, nothing came out of her for the fear consumed her and all she could do was run as fast as her legs could humanly go.

She heard his footsteps thumping behind her, could feel his presence towering over hers and in fear of being taken, she turned a corner and continued running, the beast fast on her trail.

_Papa God please save me! Please send me an angel! Please don't let the bad man take me, God. Please….let no bad happen, Papa God…Let no bad happen...!_ Her heart felt crushing in her throat as she heard the man stumble about, having tripped over something but she would not think about what. She would not think at all.

"Oh, when I get you…." He chuckled sinisterly, his temper triggered as he had rammed into a barrel that had out of nowhere fallen from its stack.

At the end, she would make another turn. She would if time allowed it, it her winged feet lost no feathers in their stead.

He was hot on her trail once more and this time, she could hear him breathing.

_Send me an angel…_Anamaria turned the corner.

And slammed right into a solid body.

An oomph escaped her quivering lips and almost fell down from the impact but steady hands kept her balanced and she looked up to see who it was.

"Get over here, runt."

Gasping at the notion that the man was still there, Anamaria, with the innocence that all children bear, skittishly moved away from the legs of whoever she had collided into and scattered to the back of him, holding onto his legs as she peered out from behind him.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

He had waited long enough for his father inside that blacksmith's shop. How long did it take to purchase two swords? Not at all disliking the idea of searching for great swords but he very much detested the fact that the swords would be gifts to his cousins. Grand swords for those two morons and a simple cutlass for him? He scoffed at the assumption his father had taken.

Jonathan Sparrow would not stand for that.

And so he left his post at the front porch of the shop and strolled around.

Nevertheless, he was roughly bumped into but motioned to save whatever had collided with him first. A quick glance down and he met with eyes which fright clearly read from, a tear-stained face that seemed grateful at the moment for a ...friend perhaps?

"Get over here, runt."

Brown eyes looked to the man in front of him, a stoic expression on his young face for he knew of the situation. This was not a happy state of affairs. He could feel the trembling at his legs, little fingers gripping deathly into his breeches but took no look at her, for he could feel her fear radiating off her.

"I don't think that's her name." Came his blunt reply, the young Sparrow watching the glint of surprise rise in the man's eyes. Surely no 11 year old would dare challenge an adult!

A sneer came onto the predator's face as he looked down to Anamaria who gasped and hid her face into the pants of Jonathan. "What's it to you, boy? She's my property."

To this, the little girl defiantly answered for her own sake. "I AM NOT!" And hid her face once more.

Jonathan looked down at her with a little smile, catching the furious pout on her lips yet the frightful clinging to his pants. "She says she's not your property, so I think that settles it."

"And just who the hell do you think you are, boy? You're going to believe a pint-sized brat over an adult?" Glared the man at the boy.

"No…I'm going to believe a pint-sized brat over a freak of nature."

And out broke the rage.

A deep, rumbling growl stormed through the dirty mouth of the man and his fist was reeled back to send it flying towards the boy, Anamaria clutching life in her hold of Jonathan's pants and Jonathan kept still, unbroken in his stance until the man took a step.

And out flashed a knife in Sparrow's hand.

Whatever beating the man had thought would be punishment for the bigger beat, it never happened.

"I don't think you're thinking clearly, old man." Cool words but no cruelty to them, just a glint of danger in Jonathan's eyes.

"…What are you doing with that?" gulped the retreating hazard, a green stare meeting a steady gaze and the latter was fare more intimidating. Anamaria though, would not reveal her to the scene for the fear of everything she would lose --- and Jonathan thought it better that way.

"What am I doing with this? That's really none of your concern. What you _should_ be worrying about is what I'm _going _to do with it if you don't turn around right now and never come near this little girl again…Do we have a deal?" And he tossed the blade high into the air and caught it with much precision yet so effortlessly.

Reluctant to move, embarrassed by such a defeat, ashamed of such a quick loss, the man simply glared with what little dignity life had left him and he turned around…and walked away.

Jonathan kept his eyes steady on the distancing figure until he disappeared after a corner. And then let out a breath. He looked down to the small girl that kept her eyes tightly shut and patted her head softly. "It's okay now. He's gone."

Watching her with concern, he slipped away the knife back into its secret place and awaited her awakening so to speak. "Hey….you okay? I promise you he's not here. No hiding and I'm not with him….Oh and the knife's away." He added, hoping that was the reason she still avoided to acknowledge him.

And he was right! A smile etched across his young face as she revealed big brown eyes, lashes wet from tears and a sniffling nose. "T-Thank you…." She wiped her tears once more and shuddered a sigh. "That mean man…I have never met anyone so mean! He said he wanted to buy me!" She exclaimed, looking up at Jonathan for support on her belief that indeed that was a preposterous idea and he nodded, trying his hardest not to smile at how cute she seemed.

"What are you doing out here by yourself? Shouldn't you be at that circus thing?" He suddenly reached out and picked her up, getting a little gasp from her, and gently set her down on a crate to have her at eye level. And to pull out that ugly handkerchief he always kept for no reason, giving it to her so she could blow her nose.

"Thank you…," she took it kindly and blew into it, cleaning up herself before continuing, "I lost Miss Jonas…she's my guar…gua…--"

"Guardian?"

"Yes! Guardian!" Anamaria smiled at her, giving a toothy grin and he smiled back sincerely, eyes watchful of her manner.

"Well I lost her when we were going to the circus…and then that man popped out and I ran and here we are….do you want this back?" Anamaria lifted the handkerchief at which Jonathan kindly rejected with a "no thanks, you keep it…"

"Well…what's your name? I know it's not runt or pint-sized brat." At which she smiled faintly and took a deep breath.

"My name, kind sir, spells no mercy and yet my soul is true. I am death and freedom, which am I to you? A curse too long and deep to say, keep it simple and plain this way: Anamaria."

She looked at him and giggled at his amused face, "Yes, I know. I heard Miss Jonas say it over and over and over as she wrote it in a…poem, I think. You like it? I don't know what it means but it sounds nice!"

Jonathan laughed lightly and ruffled her hair, smirking at the sound of her giggles. "I like you already, Ana."

"Ana? What's your name then?" She smiled brightly, as though having lost all connection to her "family" and almost being caught by a maniac were things that had never occurred.

At that Jonathan contemplated shortly. Should he tell her his legal name…or the name he wanted? For he would become a great captain of the sea and no name like Jonathan would fit that description.

"Jack. Jack Sparrow. Future captain."

"Jack! Why is your name so short and mine is so long?" She pouted playfully before bursting into fits of giggles as he suddenly raised her up and set her on his shoulders.

"Well it won't be anymore. You're Ana to me."

"And where are we going?" Came the happy inquiry, her hands slightly wrapped around his head as they walked away.

"Well, how about we just hang out, you and me, until the circus ends and then I'll take you to Miss Jonas. Is that alright with you, Ana?"

He'd be damned before he'd leave a child alone, and after what she had been through, JACK Sparrow would not leave her soul tarnished. And she seemed pretty cute, like a little sister all of a sudden.

"That's fine with me, Jack….Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"I like the sound of that."

Their laughter faded away from the alley as a pair of balloons intertwined at the strings floated above in the blue skies.

So very different yet so very much alike.

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DISCLAIMER: All I own are burning fingers, tired from typing, and ideas! Everything (unfortunately) is Disney's. **

**A/N: **_First off, JackNAnamaria, I love you! I think you're a kick ass writer and I feel like bursting into a thousand sprinkles when you review and say I rock. I don't rock. YOU ROCK! Lol! And true, I love it when J/A stories are long but I just wanna write fluffy stuff sometimes! With no explanation as to why they're now in bed making a lot of noises :P lol jk jk and I lurv Lion King...HAKUNA MATATA!!! _

_Secondly, umm…hmm…no! Jack does not like Ana. It's pedophilic and I'm so not into that. None of you should be! This is not the end of it because… I don't know…should it be? Hmm? And yes, I added the F-word in it's…verb way? Fucking? Eh, ignore that. That is only the beginning. I have a potty mouth but I shall restrain myself…from time to time. Oh yes, the whole Jonathan Sparrow thing. Here's why:_

_Jack could have changed his name in order to keep safe his family? Or maybe he just didnt like Jonathan. I dunno:P And Sparrow was (possibly) common back then, so just the first name would do...or maybe, he knew no one would have the balls to go after his family cause if they did, they knew there'd be hell and so much more to pay? lol i dunno. Maybe I'm just thinking too hard!_

_Anyways! Please review if you've read. Read before you review and um…good night? Lol_

_Oh yes, the whole "I am death and freedom," just me being emo a few days ago. :P You know how it is :P _

---- AB FIRESTAR


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